COMMERCIAL DESCRIPTIONAnn is the wine barrel aged version of Anna (1902-?), our grandfatherís sister as well as the name of our Honey Saison. In her honor, we fill French Oak wine barrels with honey saison and allow the beer to mature in the presence of our resident microflora. After many months, a beautifully complex beer emerges--Anna becomes Ann. Naturally carbonated and dipped in beeswax, Ann displays the microflora of her landscape. This the ale that I dreamed to have shared with Anna.

Bottle, thanks Shaun. Poured into the brewers stemware. Natural hazy golden pour with a medium sized fine bubbled white head with lots of lace. Super clean and tart nose, wine barrel comes through but harmonizes so naturally with the base beer that youíd think it was always meant to be there. Light honey, lemon, oak. Fantasticly integrated flavor as well and not as wine dominant as some of HFB other wine barrel aged beers. Slightly slick and acidic palate, could stand for a touch more crispness but Iím not sure if thatís really a legitimate critique. But this is a damn fine beer. Shit, Iím really having trouble finding a way to take points away from this beer and itís everything I want in a saison plus more. This sorta reminds me of Shaunís Saison Lambic Pinot Noir that he brewed in Denmark for the Norreboro brewery with the oís that have lines going through them possibly diagonally but this is better. I can honestly say that Iíd rather be home here in NC drinking this awesome beer than to be in LA right now drinking copious amounts of awesome shit with my homies. Because this is that good and I have it all to myself. Sometimes, you have to be selfish.

Hazy gold pour with a nice white head. Good lacing as well. Wine, tartness, oak, spice citrus and musty basement on the nose. All aromas are woven perfectly together. It smells so good that i was hesitant to drink. Flavor follows the aroma. Funk, acidity, lemon, citrus, oak, wine, a hint of malt sweetness. Tastes as good as it smells. Medium body, very creamy. The mouthfeel is as impressive as the aroma and flavor. I do not rate many beers, but this is perfect for a funky/sour saison. I have been impressed with everything from Hillfarmstead that Iíve tried, but this beer is on a differnt level. The only flaw is that not many people will get to drink this.

Move over Abner, we got another beer that deserves a 5. 750ml bottle in a tulip batch 2 bro. Pours hazy golden with a lacy, white head. Aroma of light tartness, some barrels and light wine, some honey, light malts, and some notes of light fruits. Flavor the same with an incredible blend. Smoother texture. Shaun Hill is a genius.

Batch 2 bottle, split two ways. Poured into a wine stem. Appearance is crystal clear yellow-orange with finger of frothy, white head. Some lacing, and the head dissipates to a rim after a few minutes. Aroma is fresh honey, white wine, lemon. Some floral aspects, and a hint of funk. Taste is incredible. A deep honey flavor, minus the sweetness associated with it. White wine, lemon, juicy ripe white peaches, champagne, and drying oak. As it opens up, the white peach and champagne become prominent. Palate is delicate and complex. Many layers all complimenting perfectly. Juicy, but with a delicate dry finish. Overall, this is a truly exceptional beer. The care and effort that went into creating this are obvious. Well done, Shaun!

UPDATED: AUG 8, 2012 Bottle courtesy of Shaun at the Hill Farmstead 2nd Anniversary vip party. A bright golden pour yields a great frothy white head with thick lacing. White grape juice, quenching lactic acid, and mead notes abound, with an ever present funk profile, giving way to earthen cheesy brett and tropical fruits. Light body with pillowy effervescence and a dry crisp finish. I absolutely loved this beer, and it was one of the highlights of the event for me.

Re-rate from a release bottle. Shared with my dad on my birthday. Nice to revisit this beer when I am completely sober. I certainly wasnít for my original rating, but surprisingly I captured it pretty well. Very vinous, funky, and lactic, with vibrant nectar and tropical fruits trailing off with mead like notes. Complex farmy brett. The palate is just perfect. Soft but full carbonation with a bone dry finish. Vibrant, bright and complex. This is without a doubt my favorite beer from Hill Farmstead.

Clear deep golden body under an airy tall white head. Floral lemon and sun-kissed hay on the nose. Deliciously harmonious flavors... pineapple, floral honey, white grape, slight barrel presence and hints of funk. Crisp but not overly-dry. Ridiculously easy-drinking. If I could drink one beer for the rest of my life, I might very well chose this.

Poured into some Hill Farmstead stemware. Beautiful golden honey body with a fingers worth of foamy white head. Nice lacing. Lots of earthy French oak notes in the aroma. Light mustiness with hay and floral honey. The taste continues to bring out some great oak notes from the barrel and mixes with a touch of honey and earthy grains. Light floral-citrus acidity throughout. Tastes amazing. Body is smooth with perfect carbonation. The mouthfeel has a nice creaminess to it. Overall, this beer is essentially perfect. I really canít see how a farmhouse ale/saison could get better than this. One of the best beers I have ever had.

Huge, huge thanks to Huhzubendah for sharing this bottle. Served in a Hill Farmstead wine glass. First off, the beeswax on the bottle is an excellent touch. Not only does it look nice, but it smells phenomenal, setting the tone for the beer.
The beer itself pours a nice, bright yellow. Fairly clear with a huge white head and great retention. As the head falls, heavy sheets of lacing on the sides of the glass. Collar throughout.
The nose carries a wonderful mixture of white wine, honey, hay, lemon zest, very light barnyard, and a touch of acidity. Masterfully blended so that each time I take another whiff, something else seems to come to the front. The flavor is equally as integrated, and is aided by an absolutely incredible mouthfeel. Some green grapes alongside lemon and hay. Mild earthy funk behind a good dose of white wine. Touch of oak.
Mouthfeel is crisp. Very nice carbonation. The mouthfeel is an enigma. At the same time, thereís a touch of sweetness alongside a bit of white-wine tartness, mild funk, and touch of oak. Each aspect is beautifully melded together. Hard to describe. The flavor lingers and is accentuated by mild acidity. Saison and touch of pepper comes through at the very end.
Overall, this tastes like the blood of a fallen beer god. Itís just a gorgeous beer, and one of my top 5-10 of all time. A wonderful experience, and something tells me, Shaun has better things yet to come.

Sharing this with a few of the guys today. What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Served in a Hill Farmstead wine glass.
The beer is a beautiful golden color with a soft, white head. Noticeable lacing throughout the glass.
The aroma brings honey, grass, lemons, subtle funk, white wine, oak. Really complex and profound. The beeswax cap smells fantastic as well.
The flavor is a tad sweet, with a beautiful honey presence. Extremely well balanced. With every sip, a new flavor seems to emerge. Lovely white wine / white grape character. Pleasant, subtle tart character in the finish. Without doubt the most complex and gracefully balanced example of the style I have yet encountered. Like sipping a world class champagne or white wine.
Overall, this is certainly a stellar beer. Iím very glad that I was able to make it to this release and acquire this.
Serving type: bottle
Reviewed on: 08-05-2012

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